Lap-robe.



PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

H. L. HOENIGSBERGBR LAP ROBE APPLICATION FILED APR.24. 1905.

HARRY L. HOENIGSBERGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAP-ROBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filecl April 24, 1905. Serial No. 257.198.

T0 01/ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY L. Honmos- BERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lap-Robes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is intended more particularly for use by automobilists or drivers; and theobjects of the invention are to provide a robe in the general form of a bag which can be quickly and easily adjusted to fit the body of the wearer and at the same time enable the wearer to remove the robe instantly and without difiiculty in case of emergency.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the robe as to thoroughly protect the wearer against cold and to prevent displacement by wind or otherwise and allow the hands of the wearer to be unimpeded for the purpose of manipulating the automobile or other vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the robe that it will cling easily but firmly to the body of the wearer, whether sitting or standing, and provide a snug protection for the lower extremities of the body, obviating the necessity for tucking in the robe and constantly adjusting the same to keep it in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot-pad adapted to keep the feet warm and at the same time allow perfect manipulation of the levers or clutches by the feet, which is essential to the operation of an automobile or similar vehicles, and at the same time the robe is so formed as to allow for the freedom of movement of the entire body without admitting the cold air at any point.

The nature of the robe permits its use by large or small persons of either sex, since the robe is adapted to adjust itself to the body without the necessity for providing buckles or other adjusting means.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the robe adjusted to the body of the wearer; Fig. 2, a rear perspective view showing the robe opened for adjustment around the body; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the robe closed as in use; Fig. 4, a plan View of the spring for holding the robe in adjusted position; Fig. 5, a rear elevation showing the robe closed; and

Fig. 6, a cross-section of the lower portion of the robe, showing the bifurcated formation.

The robe can be constructed of any suitable materialsuch as cloth, leather, fur, or feltand is adapted to be lined or otherwise constructed in a manner to retain the heat of the body and prevent the admission of cold.

The robe as a whole isof bag formation; and it consists of a body portion a, closed at the front and split at the rear to leave edges band 0, adapted to be distended, as inFig. 2, for the urpose of adjusting the robe to the body of the wearer. The bag is bifurcated at its lower end and closed by means of footads 9 of suitable shape and size to provide f r the necessary movement of the feet in operating an automobile or similar vehicle, and the bag is open at the top and provided with a seam or opening e, through which is inserted an oval spring f, split at the rear side to provide for. distention. The spring is shaped to substantially conform to the curvature of the body and is normally contracted, as shown in Fig. 4, to hold the open end of the robe closely around the body of the wearer, and the free ends of the spring are adapted to overlap one another to a slight degree in order to form a close tight joint when the robe is adjusted. The spring is preferablymadc of resilient steel and its s1ze and shape can be varied to suit the measurement of the intended wearer, although it is desirable to make the spring of sufficient resiliency to allow for the use of the same robe by persons of large or small size or of either seX. By

overlapping the edges of the spring a considerable degree of expanslon and contraction is provided for, and at the same time the spring is given sufiicient tension to hold the robe snugly in place after adjustment, thereby obviating the necessity for frequently adjusting the robe and leaving the hands of the operator entirely free for the manipulation of the steering and controlling mechanism of the vehicle. This arrangement gives the feet a considerable degree of freedom and enables the manipulation of foot-levers or other a pliances which are s aced a considerable distance from one anot er, as is often the case in the arrangement of the controlling mechanism on automobiles.

In use the robeis adjusted by opening the bag, as shown in Fig. 2, which allows the wearer to stepthereinto, after which the robe is closed at the upper end by the tension of the spring, which claspsthe robe firmly and securely around the waist of the wearer and closes the seam at the back, allowing the operator to take his seat, and the robe requires no further adjustment. In case of emergency the wearer can instantly remove the robe by spreading the open end, which allows him to discard the robe without difliculty, and ordinarily the robe can be removed by merely grasping the front portion and drawing the robe from the body, which serves to expand I the spring and allow the robe to .be removed. The robe serves to protect'the lower portion of the body at all points and is much superior to an ordinary lap-robe in that'all portions of the robe are utilized and the closure is complete, and at the same time the robe, as a whole is less bulky and more comfortable than robes of the ordinary character. Furjusting means are employed difficulty will be experienced in quickly removing the robe in case of emergency, which is a feature of great importance in the art to which the present invention relates.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is p A lap-robe of bag formation open at the top andclosed at the bottom for the reception of the feet and provided at the back with a split extending from the'closed bottom to vthe open top, the bottom being bifurcated to allow individual movement of the feet, the bagbeing ofa size to allow the edges to the split to overlap each other very slightly to provide a close seam without interfering with the ma nipulation 'ofthe robe and a split hoop of spring metal secured to the open top of the bag and adapted in combination with-the closed bottom to normally hold the split closed from top to bottomwhen'the bag is being worn and adapting the bag tor-be removed from the body by distending the free ends of the spring.

HARRY L. HOENIGSBERGER.

.Witnesses 1 SAMUEL W; 'BANNING. PAULINE 'BECKMAN. 

